System for handling articles



March E, 46." H. w. wYLlE SYSTEM FOR HADLING ARTICLES 5 sheetg-sheet 1Filed May 4, 1942 HOWARD nf. WYL /E v MY m JM m w u m MM Il vs /)Www 6m.|II! l.|| l. .l B .r 1\ f HV l mm QN mn .A N `H\ 7..\ Til Il w l@ \m\f\,/ l ruig MalCh 19, WYLlEn I SYS/TEMA FOR HANDLING ARTICLES Filed May4, 1942 s sheds-sheet 2 March 19, 1946. Hpw. wYLlE I l vSYSTEM FORHANDLING ARTICLES Filed May 4, 1942 s sheets-sheet 5 i mvENToR Hou/,4R0M wYL/E 'BY GMff/s @wav HIS ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 19, 1946 SYSTEM YFORHANDLING ARTICLES.. .-r,

Howard W. Wylie, Seattle, Wash:; assigner, by f mesne assignments, toStandard-.KnappgCorporation, Portland," Conn., a corporationLofrNew, .1.i

York

Application May 4, 19.42, Serial'No "441,735 9 oiaims.- (c1. 2174-.-11)

My inventionrelates-to the handling of articles such as cans; and moreparticularly to means for inverting a tray vofcans to facilitate removalof the tray.

In canneries Where cans are handled in batches,r the cans come from' thecooker ,ein trays. The problem is then to remove the cans from vthe traywithout denting o1; otherwise-damaging the canslpreparatoryV tofeeding-:the cans to the labeler.- -It is among the objects of myinvention to provide a mechanism for inverting a tray full of v canssothat the tray may beremovedby simply f lifting it oi the batch ofcans.-

Another object is to provide zin-inverting device of the characterdescribed which operates in conl5 junction with means for moving theinverted cans from the device, whereby the tray may be lifted from thecans as the latter travel along a path t0- ward a discharge mechanism.

The invention possessesother objects and fea-w turesof-advantage some ofwhich, with the fore- I going, will be set forth in the followingdescription-of my invention. VIt is to be understood that I do notli-mit myself to this disclosure of species. of my invention', as Imayadoptvariant embodiments'thereofwithin the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is aside elevational view showing the left-hand portionsofapparatusv embodying the improvements of my invention; and

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the right-- hand portiony oftheapparatus.'

Figure V3 isla fragmentary plan View showing the canreceiving-platform.and

Figure 4 is a similar view Yof the discharge mechanism.

In terms of broad inclusion, my improved sys\--.

tem for handling articles embodiesv an inverting device-y comprising-a`Vpair :offhingeably connected.

ings,.myapparatuslfor handling;abatch of cans i.

2 in a trayvzincludesan invertingdevice compris..l ing a pair of;hingeablyI iconnected. platforms 4;; and limounted atcthev head'end; of-armain framel. In theirfnormal.-,position theseplatforms` are extendedlike an open book asgshown in, solid lines.: in Figure 11,; theyeextended;platformsflying 1in a; commonhorizontalzplane inline .withthe bed of the apparatus. `.Platformg'lh receives; the -tray-of1rollersniupon Whichfthe tray rests so that the tray willricl'e easilyinto, positiorron` the platform;4

-- It isrconvenientto provide a-'table' l(not shoWnV also havingsurfacerollers; adjacent the headend of my apparatus-sothatthe tray maybeshoved from the table onto'platfoi-'m4.r Any suitable means thowevermay4`be provided-A for depositing the tray on the platform.LA

v Theh-inge J connection between vthe platforms comprises a `pin 0r rod91- carried by uprights IV on platform lig-.Which4 rod extends through acir- Y. cularbar l2. orf;uprights::I Siofiplatform 4;?. This' n. placesithe hingeiaxisf-abover the planelf,extendedy i. platforms, ;andpositions .bar I2 -sor'asz to provide a roundedzfahutmentzfor the endauf. the tray. z

Means-are providedvfor` mounting the platforms for movementfromtheextended-or open-book position zto the parallel :orfClosed-bookposition'.l Y

illustrated by dotted lines in 'Figure l. In the y closed position-theplatformsare substantially vertical wthl the .tray *df-.cans .sandwichedthere? between.. yThe rounded. hinge. bar ,I2 upon which y y thevertical .trayrests is disposed backofthe cen. ter of gravity of thekload Yjust enoughto cause the cans and. trayto tip overagainstplatform.

liso' that'whenthe device is folded back to nor.-` mal position the cansandtraywill ride down inA inverted positiononplatforml;

Platform 6 ris"p'ref erably mounted on a fixed" pivot comprising.. 'av.pin or rod 1.4' carried by the framework ofthe platform'andjournaledin bearings4 IAB. ori side .members Vof the main frame` ,'l.'Theiotherplatform'-lliismounted Aon a'movingv' pivot `comprising'fan.axle'll on the platform framework'and havingwheels 'i 8ridin`g onetrack-v formed-by' the 'side members-of the main frame -Y 1.ThefaXesof-"theiixed-andemoving pivotsare preferably-disposedsomewhat`'closer tothe hinged endsthan'the outer endsofethe platforms;sothe Yplatforms lie stable in the extendedpositio-nsf-v rather than tendingltovbuckletogether?.A The bal-'- ance is-sueh however, `that"anfoperatormayread 1 ily fold Athe platforms together-'Shy lifting up on v v asuitableehandlelld,preferably providedon'vplat; f1 A form i" l .IPlatformlwhasaiplurality :of freelyV journaled: bed rollers 1121:.:These` are `.preferably'elongated. tubes:I .extending.' transversely:of the platformgf journaled on cross-rods 22 supported by the platformzf-ramework, :and forming, .a bed upongwhichg. the invertedcans'restarf;

Means---.are further-preferablyeprovided -for movingthe invertedcansa-nd v.overlyingtray from v, :u platform Band advancing the batchIof 'cansalong- Y a path .tov/ardt the discharge.:` end v.of the system.vv f .p frame l is also madeup of;freely'journaledproll-f^ n ers 23similar to those on platform 6. These bed .i rollers are :driven kbya1belt1f24- having'yan upper.; cans, and has apluralityzofsfreelygjournaled4 bed'; i.;

reachfafrictonally: engaging? ythe .under :sides-..;ofr the rollers;- Aseries ofrsubframes 26:.are spaced i pair of hingeably connectedplatforms, means Yon -the frame for pivotally mounting one of the Bythis arrangement a portion of the drive belt underlies some of bedrollers 2l of the platform, so that when the latter is in extendedposition these rollers are also positively driven. VThe batch ofinverted cans is thus started in their forward;A

movement through the system as soon asthe platform is brought down intoits extended position.. It is unnecessary that all of bed rollers 2| onthe platform be positively driven, because the tray still embraces thebatch at this time and all is driven forwardly as a unit.

End pulleys 29 and 3| for the drive belt are preferably journaled inbrackets 32 suitably mounted for vertical adjustment .on the main mainframe. i

As the batch of inverted cans is advanced along the bed of theapparatus, the overlying tray is removed, preferably by operatorsstanding on opposite sides of the machine. At this time all of the cansare resting on the driven bed rollers, so that upon removal of the traythe cans continue to advance as a group.

In my preferred system the cansV are discharged singly by means oflacentrifugal feeder comprising a disk 4I disposed in the plane of themachine bed at the discharge end of the apparatus. The cans areconverged toward Vthe' disk by guide plates 42 extending angularlyacross bed rollersvv 23 and terminating at the mouth of a circular guideplate 43 which lies about the periphery of disk 4 I. Plates 42 aresuspended from suitable cross members 44 on the main frame, and arehinged to arcuate sections 46 adjustably of the opening.

Disk 4l is rotated clockwise as viewed in Fig-V moved outwardly againstcircular plate 43 by theV action ofVV centrifugal force, and areadvanced in single file toward discharge chute 156. This chute ispreferably twisted through 90 as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, so thatthe cans roll out on their sides inposition to be carried along by lanysuitable conveyor to the labeler.

1. An inverting' device comprising a pair 'of other platform, and atrack along which the movable pivot may ride.

2. An inverting device comprising a frame, a

platforms about a fixed axis, and means on the `frame for pivotallymounting the other plat- .form about a. movable axis.

-3. An Yinverting [device comprising a frame, a pair of hingeablyconnected platforms, means on the frame for pivotally mounting one ofthe platforms about a xed axis, and means including a Wheel ridingon theframe for pivotally mounting the other platform.

4. In an apparatus for reversing the position of articles, a frame, aplatform for delivering the articles and pivotally mounted on the frameand for movement therealong, and a platform for receiving the articlesand pivotally mounted on the frame for movement about a xed axis andalso pivoted to the delivering platform, the points of pivoting of theplatforms Von the frame being closer to the pivotal connection betweenthe platforms than to the opposite ends of the platforms so that theplatforms tend to remain in aligned relation on the frame.

5. In an apparatus for 4reversing the position of an article, a pair ofpivotally connected platforms one for delivering and one for receivingthe article to be reversed, and means for mounting the platforms formovement between aligned and parallel positions, and a pivoting supportfor the side of .the article and disposed at the delivering platformside of the center of gravity of the article to cause tipping of thearticle to- Ward the receiving platform when the platforms are invertical position.

Y mounted on circular plate 43 to control the size Y of Wheels riding onthe 'frame for pivotally hingeably. connected platforms, a fixed pivotfor one .of the platforms, a movable pivot for the 6. An invertingdevice comprising a pair of hingeably connected platformsy a fixed pivotfor one of the platforms, a movable pivot for the other platform, and atrack along which the movable pivot may ride, said pivots being disposedto support their respective platforms in a condition of approximatelybalanced equilibrium.

'7. An inverting device comprising a frame, a

pair of hingeably connected platforms, means onV the frame for pivotallymounting one of the platforms about a xed axis in approximately balancedequilibrium, and means on the frame for pivotally mounting the otherplatform in I approximately balanced forms about a fixed axis inapproximately balanced equilibrium, and means including a pair mountingthe other platform in approximately balanced equilibrium. Y 9. In anapparatus for reversingthe position of articles, a frame, a platform fordeliveringVV the articles and pivotally mounted on the frame and forhorizontal movement therealng, and a platform for receiving the articlesand pivotally mounted on the frame for movement about" a' fixed axis andalso pivoted to the delivering platform, the points of pivoting oftheplatforms on the frame being disposed tc produce an approximatelybalanced equilibrium of the platforms but v' being closer to the pivotalconnection 'between Y the platforms than to the opposite ends oftheplatforms so that the platforms tendtorremain V in aligned relation onthe frame.

HOWARD W; WYLJE' equilibrium about a y

